The Elusive Concept of Globalization

Introduction:

Who was the first person to utter or imagine the word Globalization? They believe that it

was Theodore Levitt, the Harvard Business School marketing professor who in 1983 penned an

article for the Harvard Business Review entitled “The Globalization of Markets”. But, what is

globalization? The debated concept of globalization might be controversial nowadays and is

argued by many scholars. There were lots of people tried to give a short and precise definition

that can really cover up the broad and whole concept of globalization. However, according to

Steger “Globalization refers to the expansion and intensification of social relations and

consciousness across world-time and world-space”, this definition was critically written after his

broad and thoroughly analysis. In addition to Steger’s analysis, Globalization is a set of social

processes that lead to the social condition of globality, through the growing consciousness of

global connectivity. There is no consensus on exactly what processes constitute globalization,

but common themes include the creation of networks, expansion of social relations, and the

acceleration of social exchange. Globalization is the word used to describe the growing

interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-

border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and

information. Countries have built economic partnerships to facilitate these movements over

many centuries.

Why do we need to know what globalization is?  Understanding globalization is a very

important part of learning about our human involvement with the environment and society. Our
daily experiences at school, work, and home are an integral part of the globalization process.Th e

concept of understanding globalization provides us with the tools necessary to be productive

members of our local and global communities. The purpose of studying globalization to

understand the differences and similarities of different cultures and to understand how we are

connected and at the same time separated from the world.

Summary:

This article showed different used and applications to describes and elaborate more the

concept of globalization. It distinguishes between its use as an analytical tool and as a political

programme. The concept of globalization has been debating for many years. The used of

globalization as an analytical tool were discussed by which supporters and sceptics show their

different perspectives regarding with this. Supporters are those people who see globalization as a

positive, while critics are sceptical about the idea of global economic integration being anything

particularly new. As organizations and industries capitalize on a free trade market, people

continue to debate globalization. For supporters, globalization is something that is occurring and

is changing the face of modern societies, sceptics agreed with this yet according to them it is not

applicable for all because there were things that still remain the same. Supporters believe that

globalization is happening and that local cultures are being eroded primarily because of the

expansion of international capitalism and the emergence of a homogeneous global culture; they

believe that globalization is a positive process characterized by economic growth, increasing

prosperity and the spread of democracy. In contrast, sceptics believe that globalization is

exaggerated and as they look back to the nineteenth century, they’re able to draw higher
statistical evidence of developed flows of trade and investment which they compared to today’s

modern society. The Sceptics insist that their analysis of the nineteenth century demonstrate that

instead of witnessing globalization, the world is going through ‘regionalization’; to organize a

country on a regional basis.

As a political programme, too, globalization represents an agenda that has both its

advocates and critics. Advocates believe that Globalization is logical expression of capitalism, all

nations will benefit through the increasing wealth from the trickledown effect, Every country or

region should seek its economic right position and it creates strongly support multinational

organizations. In contrast, critics believes that globalization is not a natural process but an

economic policy promoted by core countries, creates greater inequalities, promotes free-market,

export-oriented economies and free-market economic model is not the one that today’s

developed countries used for their own development. In addition, advocates argue that removing

trade barriers will increase efficiency, spread new technology and ideas, free flow of capital will

enhance global economic wealth, the world’s poorer countries will catch up through

globalization.

Reflection:

The concept of globalization is currently a popular but very controversial issue, and has

been one of the most widely debated issues. Globalization has several definitions, but an

undisputable fact which everyone agrees to is the fact that it is a complex process that has wide

and varying impacts on economies, both developed and developing.

supporters and sceptics. And it has lots of things that argued. Those elusive concept of

globalization are explained and argued properly. That todays globalization have more effects

than before like tradings of goods, growth of financial markets, global nature of the world’s

leading corporatios and that growing economic interdependence leads to social interdependence

this are argued by supporters while sceptics argue that globalization that most tradings are not

global, companies in the world are not global those argued by supporters are not literally global

because it has its limits. Supporters have a point of whats happening in the world that theres

trading and more but sceptics also have a point that although theres trading and the word is

socializing, and cooperating this is not yet a globalization because not all countries are affected.

Although there are alot of things that have a good effect today in our world unlike before this are

still not be called as globalization.

Looking critically at the concept, globalization it can be examined from several angles

which includes not only economic, the most common viewpoint, but also social, cultural,

ideological and political ones. Based on I have read truly globalization has impact in every

aspect of personal life of individuals, who are part of both developed as well as developing

countries. However, if we are going to analyze the viewpoints of supporters and sceptics, we can

see that the intensity of this impact differ from person to person depending upon several

demographic traits that bring the individuals closer to an international exposure. In addition, the

individuals belonging to developed nations are observed to be highly influenced by the impacts

of globalization, in comparison to their counterparts belonging to poorer or underdeveloped

countries (Mackay,2000). With this observation, the individuals belonging to under developed

countries are deprived of conducive environment, including the technological support and
infrastructure, which makes them deprived to take the benefits of globalization. This then means

that globalization does not hold the same benefits for all members of the global community. It

holds more benefit for members of developed nations while developing nations can be said to be

in a rather deprived position. Lastly, is the Globalization as Humanitarian Concern, and the

Moral Challenge. This two is a little the same it is all about the humans concerns, and human

rights. It is all about humans. And it is really important to discuss this about human in

globalization because we humans have a role and responsibility about the globalization that is

happening.

Conclusion:

This elusive concept of globalization that is written by Ceez J. Hamelink is a really an

eye opener for us human, for us to know what is really happening in globalization that not all

countries are affected by this, advantages and disadvantages. Although there is alot of happening,

and prosperity to other countries we still can’t deny the fact that not all of us are affected by this.

There is still a boundaries in the world.

This paper has been able to show globalization as a complex process with wide reaching

impacts on developing countries. Globalization on its own has a lot of gains and benefits, but due

to the influence of some other factors and especially the nature and structure of most developing

nations, it impacts negatively despite its advantages. These impacts hold serious challenges for

developing countries in the face of needed economic growth and development for these

countries. To this end, the leadership of the various nations in the developed world must

understand that their major responsibilities lie in the needs of their immediate societies. It is
therefore imperative that these countries formulate rational policies and reforms that would guide

liberalization of trade and the complexities of globalization as a whole to conform to their own

domestic economic agenda. Globalization itself should not be hindered. But the extent and pace

of its progress should be made to reflect the nation’s situation and presenting economic

dispensation so that in the long run, the developing country itself would be able to strongly

compete in the wider confluence of globalization.